diff --git a/lib/microwaveprop/aprs/path_parser.ex b/lib/microwaveprop/aprs/path_parser.ex
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a94c9641
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/microwaveprop/aprs/path_parser.ex
@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+defmodule Microwaveprop.Aprs.PathParser do
+  @moduledoc """
+  Parses TNC2-style APRS digipeater paths into verified RF hops.
+
+  An APRS packet's `path` column (as stored by aprs.me) is a comma-
+  separated chain of digipeater callsigns and routing aliases. Tokens
+  with a trailing `*` ("used flag") indicate stations that actually
+  digipeated the frame on RF — a verified receive.
+
+  Walk left-to-right; each "real callsign + used flag" is a verified
+  hop from the *current source* to that callsign, then the source
+  advances to that callsign for any subsequent hops.
+
+  We deliberately ignore:
+    * Q-constructs (`qAR`, `qAC`, `qAS`, `qAo`, `qAX`, `qAZ`, `qAI`)
+    * `TCPIP*`, `TCPXX*` (internet-only injection)
+    * Routing aliases (`WIDE1-N`, `WIDE2-N`, `TRACE[12]-N`, `RELAY`,
+      `ECHO`, `GATE`, `NOGATE`, `RFONLY`)
+
+  When the used flag lands on an alias (e.g. `WIDE1*` from
+  `WA5VHU-8,WIDE1*,WIDE2-1,qAR,K5VOM-10`), we know A digi handled the
+  frame but cannot attribute the hop to a callsign — we skip without
+  emitting a hop.
+  """
+
+  alias Microwaveprop.Geo
+
+  @type position :: {lat :: number(), lon :: number()}
+  @type station_lookup :: (String.t() -> position() | nil)
+  @type hop :: %{
+          src_callsign: String.t(),
+          src_pos: position(),
+          dst_callsign: String.t(),
+          dst_pos: position(),
+          distance_km: float(),
+          heard_at: DateTime.t()
+        }
+
+  @alias_regex ~r/^(WIDE[12](-[0-9])?|TRACE[12](-[0-9])?|RELAY|ECHO|GATE|NOGATE|RFONLY)$/
+  @callsign_regex ~r/^[A-Z0-9]{1,2}[0-9][A-Z]{1,3}(-[0-9]{1,2})?$/
+  @q_construct_regex ~r/^qA[A-Z]$/
+
+  @spec parse_hops(
+          sender_callsign :: String.t(),
+          sender_pos :: position(),
+          path_string :: String.t(),
+          heard_at :: DateTime.t(),
+          station_lookup :: station_lookup()
+        ) :: [hop()]
+  def parse_hops(sender_callsign, sender_pos, path_string, heard_at, station_lookup)
+      when is_binary(sender_callsign) and is_binary(path_string) and is_function(station_lookup, 1) do
+    path_string
+    |> String.split(",", trim: true)
+    |> Enum.map(&String.trim/1)
+    |> Enum.reduce({{sender_callsign, sender_pos}, []}, fn token, {source, hops} ->
+      process_token(token, source, hops, heard_at, station_lookup)
+    end)
+    |> elem(1)
+    |> Enum.reverse()
+  end
+
+  defp process_token("", source, hops, _heard_at, _lookup), do: {source, hops}
+
+  defp process_token(token, source, hops, heard_at, lookup) do
+    used? = String.ends_with?(token, "*")
+    callsign = if used?, do: String.trim_trailing(token, "*"), else: token
+
+    callsign
+    |> classify()
+    |> handle(callsign, used?, source, hops, heard_at, lookup)
+  end
+
+  defp classify(token) do
+    cond do
+      Regex.match?(@q_construct_regex, token) -> :q_construct
+      token in ["TCPIP", "TCPXX"] -> :internet
+      Regex.match?(@alias_regex, token) -> :alias
+      Regex.match?(@callsign_regex, token) -> :callsign
+      true -> :unknown
+    end
+  end
+
+  defp handle(:callsign, callsign, true, source, hops, heard_at, lookup) do
+    case lookup.(callsign) do
+      nil ->
+        # Used flag present but no known position — drop, do NOT advance source.
+        {source, hops}
+
+      dst_pos ->
+        {src_callsign, src_pos} = source
+
+        if self_loop?(src_callsign, src_pos, callsign, dst_pos) do
+          {source, hops}
+        else
+          hop = build_hop(src_callsign, src_pos, callsign, dst_pos, heard_at)
+          {{callsign, dst_pos}, [hop | hops]}
+        end
+    end
+  end
+
+  defp handle(:callsign, _callsign, false, source, hops, _heard_at, _lookup) do
+    # Real callsign without used flag — routing target, did not digipeat.
+    {source, hops}
+  end
+
+  defp handle(_other, _callsign, _used?, source, hops, _heard_at, _lookup) do
+    # q_construct, internet, alias (used or not), unknown — never emit a hop.
+    {source, hops}
+  end
+
+  defp self_loop?(src_callsign, src_pos, dst_callsign, dst_pos) do
+    src_callsign == dst_callsign or src_pos == dst_pos
+  end
+
+  defp build_hop(src_callsign, src_pos, dst_callsign, dst_pos, heard_at) do
+    {src_lat, src_lon} = src_pos
+    {dst_lat, dst_lon} = dst_pos
+
+    %{
+      src_callsign: src_callsign,
+      src_pos: src_pos,
+      dst_callsign: dst_callsign,
+      dst_pos: dst_pos,
+      distance_km: Geo.haversine_km(src_lat, src_lon, dst_lat, dst_lon),
+      heard_at: heard_at
+    }
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/microwaveprop/aprs/path_parser_test.exs b/test/microwaveprop/aprs/path_parser_test.exs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5fce75cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/microwaveprop/aprs/path_parser_test.exs
@@ -0,0 +1,220 @@
+defmodule Microwaveprop.Aprs.PathParserTest do
+  use ExUnit.Case, async: true
+
+  alias Microwaveprop.Aprs.PathParser
+
+  @sender "N5XXX-9"
+  @sender_pos {32.897, -97.038}
+  @heard_at ~U[2026-04-30 12:00:00Z]
+
+  defp lookup_fn(map) do
+    fn callsign -> Map.get(map, callsign) end
+  end
+
+  describe "parse_hops/5" do
+    test "single used-flag callsign emits one hop from sender" do
+      lookup = lookup_fn(%{"K5GVL-10" => {32.95, -96.10}})
+
+      hops =
+        PathParser.parse_hops(
+          @sender,
+          @sender_pos,
+          "K5GVL-10*,WIDE1-1,WIDE2-1",
+          @heard_at,
+          lookup
+        )
+
+      assert [hop] = hops
+      assert hop.src_callsign == @sender
+      assert hop.src_pos == @sender_pos
+      assert hop.dst_callsign == "K5GVL-10"
+      assert hop.dst_pos == {32.95, -96.10}
+      assert hop.heard_at == @heard_at
+      assert is_float(hop.distance_km)
+    end
+
+    test "two chained used-flag callsigns emit two hops, source advances" do
+      lookup =
+        lookup_fn(%{
+          "K5XYZ-3" => {33.0, -96.5},
+          "W5ABC-7" => {33.5, -95.5}
+        })
+
+      hops =
+        PathParser.parse_hops(
+          @sender,
+          @sender_pos,
+          "K5XYZ-3*,W5ABC-7*,WIDE2-1",
+          @heard_at,
+          lookup
+        )
+
+      assert length(hops) == 2
+      [first, second] = hops
+
+      assert first.src_callsign == @sender
+      assert first.src_pos == @sender_pos
+      assert first.dst_callsign == "K5XYZ-3"
+      assert first.dst_pos == {33.0, -96.5}
+
+      assert second.src_callsign == "K5XYZ-3"
+      assert second.src_pos == {33.0, -96.5}
+      assert second.dst_callsign == "W5ABC-7"
+      assert second.dst_pos == {33.5, -95.5}
+    end
+
+    test "anonymous WIDE1* used-flag yields no hops" do
+      lookup = lookup_fn(%{})
+
+      hops =
+        PathParser.parse_hops(
+          @sender,
+          @sender_pos,
+          "WIDE1*,WIDE2-1",
+          @heard_at,
+          lookup
+        )
+
+      assert hops == []
+    end
+
+    test "mixed path with no used real callsigns yields no hops" do
+      lookup = lookup_fn(%{"K5VOM-10" => {32.5, -96.5}})
+
+      hops =
+        PathParser.parse_hops(
+          @sender,
+          @sender_pos,
+          "WA5VHU-8,WIDE1*,WIDE2-1,qAR,K5VOM-10",
+          @heard_at,
+          lookup
+        )
+
+      assert hops == []
+    end
+
+    test "trailing unused real callsign does not emit a hop" do
+      lookup =
+        lookup_fn(%{
+          "K5GVL-10" => {32.95, -96.10},
+          "N5TXZ-10" => {33.1, -96.2}
+        })
+
+      hops =
+        PathParser.parse_hops(
+          @sender,
+          @sender_pos,
+          "K5GVL-10*,N5TXZ-10",
+          @heard_at,
+          lookup
+        )
+
+      assert [hop] = hops
+      assert hop.dst_callsign == "K5GVL-10"
+    end
+
+    test "TCPIP and Q-construct yield no hops" do
+      lookup = lookup_fn(%{})
+
+      hops =
+        PathParser.parse_hops(
+          @sender,
+          @sender_pos,
+          "TCPIP*,qAC,T2TEXAS",
+          @heard_at,
+          lookup
+        )
+
+      assert hops == []
+    end
+
+    test "used callsign with nil lookup is dropped and source does NOT advance" do
+      lookup =
+        lookup_fn(%{
+          "K5XYZ-3" => {33.0, -96.5}
+          # W5ABC-7 deliberately missing
+        })
+
+      hops =
+        PathParser.parse_hops(
+          @sender,
+          @sender_pos,
+          "K5XYZ-3*,W5ABC-7*",
+          @heard_at,
+          lookup
+        )
+
+      assert [hop] = hops
+      assert hop.src_callsign == @sender
+      assert hop.dst_callsign == "K5XYZ-3"
+    end
+
+    test "empty path string yields no hops" do
+      lookup = lookup_fn(%{})
+
+      hops = PathParser.parse_hops(@sender, @sender_pos, "", @heard_at, lookup)
+
+      assert hops == []
+    end
+
+    test "aliases-only path yields no hops" do
+      lookup = lookup_fn(%{})
+
+      hops =
+        PathParser.parse_hops(
+          @sender,
+          @sender_pos,
+          "WIDE1-1,WIDE2-2",
+          @heard_at,
+          lookup
+        )
+
+      assert hops == []
+    end
+
+    test "Q-construct followed by IGate name yields no hops" do
+      lookup = lookup_fn(%{"IGATE-CALL" => {33.0, -96.0}})
+
+      hops =
+        PathParser.parse_hops(
+          @sender,
+          @sender_pos,
+          "qAR,IGATE-CALL",
+          @heard_at,
+          lookup
+        )
+
+      assert hops == []
+    end
+
+    test "self-loop (callsign resolves to sender's own position) yields no hops" do
+      lookup = lookup_fn(%{"K5GVL-10" => @sender_pos})
+
+      hops =
+        PathParser.parse_hops(
+          @sender,
+          @sender_pos,
+          "K5GVL-10*",
+          @heard_at,
+          lookup
+        )
+
+      assert hops == []
+    end
+
+    test "haversine distance for DFW → K5GVL-10 is approximately 88.4 km" do
+      lookup = lookup_fn(%{"K5GVL-10" => {32.95, -96.10}})
+
+      [hop] =
+        PathParser.parse_hops(
+          @sender,
+          @sender_pos,
+          "K5GVL-10*",
+          @heard_at,
+          lookup
+        )
+
+      assert abs(hop.distance_km - 88.4) < 1.0
+    end
+  end
+end